March 16, 2022 

Editor: Caroline Grin
Artist: Julia Pignatella

College students are forced to make decisions every day. While some are minor, such as deciding what to eat for lunch, which route to take to get to class, or which product to buy off of the grocery shelf, others are more consequential. 

I was recently discussing with a friend the amount of pressure we put on ourselves to know exactly what path we plan to take as soon as we start college. In both of our minds, that decision was highly consequential. In my case, if I wanted to become a doctor, I had to stick with my rigid plan. I had already decided prior to the start of college that I would major in biology and throw myself into STEM classes in order to satisfy my premed requirements. I would focus on studying biology, chemistry, and math – academic areas that made me feel safe but would also prepare me for medical school.  I knew the curriculum would be challenging, but I also knew I really wanted to become a physician, and needed to take this route in order to reach my goal. Though I had created a narrow path for myself, I thought it was required for my success.  

Once I began my freshman year, however, I kept one promise I had made to myself – to enroll in some classes outside of my major. One of those classes, ASIAN 260, opened my eyes to an entirely new perspective. I loved how the class allowed me to draw similarities and differences between American and Chinese culture, and I began to look forward to that class the most each week. I was petrified to enroll in Spanish, a language I knew nothing about. However, I soon realized I enjoyed studying Spanish, and even considered minoring in languages. In time, the narrow pathway I had paved for myself began to widen. I was surprised at how the variety in my curriculum made me feel more well-rounded and knowledgeable. The introduction to more subjective ways of thinking in psychology and humanities classes encouraged me to think more critically about topics I had never explored, and allowed me to meet interesting people with varying viewpoints whom I may not otherwise have met.  

It has become clear that the pressure I had placed on myself as a freshman was not as necessary as I had thought. In the end, the decisions I had considered highly consequential weren’t even the correct ones. The classes that navigated me away from my original path are the same classes that have taught me more about myself. I have realized that I am passionate about creative writing and expressing my feelings. I love the way studying languages challenges me and allows me to communicate with other people. I actually enjoy reading Shakespeare! I am still pre-med, yet I am not ‘just’ the science girl I thought I was. Though this self discovery story is unique to me, each and every college student has the opportunity to make an individualized story. Though it may be anxiety provoking, there is so much beauty in embracing change and taking chances. By doing so, fear of the unknown is replaced with self discovery and self growth. I still have so much more to learn, and so do you! Go make a story - take a chance and trust change leads to magical discoveries.